These included a series of seven Road to . For the next several decades, he continued the annual tradition of filming a series of special holiday episodes of his show in front of a military audience serving overseas in places like Iceland, Greenland, Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Western Pacific. The 1970 show was one of American televisions most-watched events of all time. As time went by and Hopes shows became more of a staple, he assembled a team of regular collaborators: Tony Romano, the musician. President Bill Clinton named Hope an Honorary Veteran in 1997, to which Hope said, Ive been given many awards in my lifetime but to be numbered among the men and women I admire most is the greatest honor I have ever received.. Additionally, through a partnership with the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation, today the USO provides service members with the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program. When the USO joined forces with the NFL in 1966 for a series of goodwill tours to visit U.S. military members stationed in Vietnam, four future Hall of Famers led the way. Here, Hope is pictured on stage with his iconic golf club in Southeast Asia in 1970. This page is not available in other languages. 340 Golden Shore, Suite 400 Photo credit USO Archives. Raquel Welch teamed up with Bob Hope and others in 1967 and traveled to Saigon, Vietnam, to perform a TV special. Hope would continue this tradition of entertaining troops during the holiday season for decades to come. But he didnt play favorites. Between 1964 and 1972, Hope recorded 9 holiday shows in Vietnam. The First Show Bob Hope in USO Uniform Via Getty Images. Here, he exits a garland-lined bunker while ashore. Join us in the center for a relaxing communityget-together, Apr 27th,2023 Jerry Colonna, Hopes sideman. Coca-Cola's community marketing director's connection to the USO starts in the Philippines, in the famed mansion where her grandmother grew up. Hope would do 57 USO tours, including 48 Christmas shows, going out during every major conflict . Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Service members and their families in the Southern California area can stop by one of several Bob Hope USO locations, including Bob Hope USO at LAX where the iconic Theme Building is home to Bob Hope USO at LAX. Undeterred by enemy fire or rough seas, Hope went straight to the front lines, delivering laughter, music and above all else a reminder of home to our men and women in uniform, just when they needed it most. Here, Hope introduces Langford to an audience of enlisted men. "Believe me when I say that laughter up at the front lines is a very precious thing precious to those grand guys who are giving and taking the awful business that goes on there. Tags: Academy Award, Ann-Margret, Berlin Airlift, Berlin Airlift in 1948, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope USO shows, Connie Stevens, he was awarded honorary Oscars multiple times, He worked with Raquel Welch, honorary veteran, Jerry Colonna, Korean War, Second World War, The Cat and the Canary, The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Golddiggers, The Road to Singapore, The Road to Singapore (1940), the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander, TogetherWeServed Blog, Tony Romano, US Armed Forces, USO, Vietnam, Vietnam War, World War II. JOIN YOUR LOCAL USO AND THE LA RAMS OUTREACH TEAM AT A PLAY60 FOOTBALL EVENT FOR KIDS! They arrived late and the show was over and this one fellow was saying how disappointed he was. As a longtime supporter of the military and a military brat herself, Debbie Keller has dedicated thousands of hours to supporting service members and their military family members at the USO center in Orlando, Florida - and now is being recognized for her efforts, as the 2023 CONUS Volunteer of the Year. Clip from Bob Hope USO tour Cu Chi Vietnam 1968.DVD series available at Time/Life Bob Hope's first radio show for the U.S. Armed Forces was broadcast from March Field in Riverside, California. From World War II through today, the USO and The Coca-Cola Company have teamed up to bring a taste of home to service members and military families. He had the same caring attitude. Bob Hope traveled with several other entertainers during his 1943 USO tour of Europe and North Africa. She was 15 when she performed in her first show in 1981, Bob Hope Salutes the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It was her first of 27 shows with Hope. Mary Margaret and the Martells (1969) Mary Martin. Raquel Welch teamed up with Bob Hope and others in 1967 and traveled to Saigon, Vietnam, to perform a TV special. In the summer of 1944, Bob Hope and his troupe took their USO show to the Pacific arena, hopping from island to island. Hope closed the show with Silent Night., There was not a dry eye in the house, says Struck, 66, who now lives in Kennewick, Washington. In my eyes, Bob Hope is a true American hero. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Fort McCoy is one of the busiest training centers in the continental United States, but until recently, it didn't have a USO on base. Bob Hope USO Headquarters. Things change. Los Angeles Times photographers often covered his . Imagine those guys thanking me! A total of 272 NBC variety specials hosted by Hope were produced from 1950 to 1996. Regardless of where he was going or how high the risks were, Hope was committed to supporting our nations military. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films54 in which he starred. Fresh from his motion picture successes The Cat and the Canary (1939) and The Road to Singapore (1940), he was well received, and when the United States joined World War II in December of that year, he resolved to work with the USO to bring more shows to service members. The joke became I did more Bob Hope shows than he did, Shields said. Thank you. Required fields are marked *. Singer. Holidays for the Hope kids took on a new meaning. Im sure I speak for many vets, not only Vietnam, but also Korea and WWII. During that same USO trip to Japan and Korea, Bob Hope sits with men of the X Corps as members of his troupe entertain the crowd in Wonsan, Korea, on October 26, 1950. The USO in Florida is coming up with creative ways to support service members, such as with therapy dog visits to USO centers to keep morale and spirits high. Families of GIs who died would send a letter to Dad writing that the last thing they heard from their loved one was they had seen the Hope show and what a fun time that was, how grateful they were Dad had given them that respite from the awful conditions., Linda recalls one soldiers letter in particular. Bob Hope Christmas Tour logo musical comedy films with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner. It was really interesting, she remembered. Skip to navigation; Skip to main content; Skip to footer; Bob Hope USO. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BOB HOPE SIGNED PROGRAM INSERT 1975 USO MAN OF THE YEAR DINNER at the best online prices at eBay! The group took a break from their act in the mid-1950s, but later continued to perform. Actress Brooke Shields recalls having an awesome time with Bob Hope, too. Some of them were caught on the television programsyoud see fighter jets. Marlene Dietrich takes time out to chat with service women in France in November 1944. During her second tour, lasting 11 months, she entertained near the front in France and Germany.. | It was pretty awesome, frankly.. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. But Linda also remembers that she often worried about her father as he left for dangerous war zones. Bob Hopes name has become synonymous with the USO, and there can be no greater honor. Almost 50 years after his first performances for the troops, Bob Hope headed, once again, to the Middle East. Bob Hopes first holiday USO show was in 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. We rely on our volunteers to ensure that our troops are cared for ands, For troop movements, whether getting on a plane or a bus, Bob Hope USO Volunteers form a Sandwich Brigade and, like an assembly line,cre, For most of us, the holidays are a time for families to unite and come together. USO stars who entertained troops in Korea during and after the Korean War: Frankie Adams - female ballet, soft shoe, and tap dancer (Her stage name was Kathy Bryan. A year later, in December 1948, Hope and his USO troupe (which included Irving Berlin at the time) recorded a Bob Hope Show radio episode in front of troops stationed in Germany supporting the Berlin Airlift, at the request of the Pentagon. And hed tell all of us that with the DoD and the USO well be as safe as possible.. Since 1941, the United Service Organizations has provided support to the service members of the United States military. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Throughout April, the Month of the Military Child, the USO is highlighting how our centers around the globe are providing creative ways for military children to connect to one another and their families. Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. He started his career in the 1920s as a vaudeville comedian, but was needed to bring laughter to a different kind of venue. In the Second World War, Rooney served with special services in the U.S. Army for nearly two years, earning a Bronze Star Medal. A few years later, during the Korean War, Bob Hope hit the road again to entertain troops serving in both Japan and Korea. There were a lot of those., Some letters were more serious, she said. Piper Laurie. However, it was Hope and the USOs Bob Hope Christmas Shows during the Vietnam War that truly solidified this tradition of holiday entertainment. The eldest daughter of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra went on to have a successful singing career of her own in the 1960s and early 70s. The actress and singer said the years she spent touring with Hope provided some of the most meaningful moments of her life. Bob Hope was many things, but to the USO and to the service members of the United States, he was the one-man-morale machine.. Twentynine Palms, CA 92278, Stop by our USO booth at the So Cal Air Show! Comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, London, England, the fifth of seven sons of Avis (Townes), light opera singer, and William Henry Hope, a stonemason from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Bob Hope knew what it meant to be away from home during the holidays. He was also a frequent visitor to American forces stationed in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, regularly seen with his trademark golf club. Bob Hope and Lola Falana, right, perform for thousands of U.S. troops stationed in Vietnam in 1970. Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. Apparently, this worked to Dolores advantage as she stole the show with her performance of White Christmas. Measures 24" x 115762288302. Though the annual tradition ended at this point, the end of Hopes time in Vietnam was not the end of Hopes USO tours or his holiday-time military shows. The people back at home loved hearing something from a base from where one of their loved ones was stationed, Linda said. Ontario International Airport, West Wing While the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander during the Second World War, Hope never served in the military himself. He worked with Raquel Welch, Ann-Margret, Connie Stevens, The Golddiggers, even Neil Armstrong. Connie Stevens, right, was just a one of the many stars who joined Bob Hope on his USO tours around the globe. Here, on December 26, 1987, Hope performs at a USO show aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Okinawa. According to Vietnam Magazine, Welch joined Hope on stage to add a few crowd-pleasing dance moves to his rendition of Dancing in the Streets. Scroll down to watch Welchs solo performance from that 1967 show. Furthermore, the USOs Southern California service area is aptly called the Bob Hope USO, in honor of the legendary entertainer who resided there for decades. Soon after, he began traveling overseas to visit troops in the European and Pacific Theatres. He was also known for his decades of overseas USO tours to entertain U.S. troops . All rights reserved. Here, during that same trip, Bob Hope and Ann Gillian perform for service members on the USS Guam during the 1983 USO Holiday Tour. It was this USO trip that inspired Hope to begin his tradition of entertaining the military community during the holiday season. -This story was originally published on USO.org in 2018. 20 Year old beauty pageant winner from Vienna, Austria. After the conclusion of World War II, Hope continued his film career and successfully made the transition to television. The show included Marie Osmond, Glen Campbell, George C. Scott, Brooke Shields, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mary Martin, Mickey Rooney, and Robert Ulrich. Hope was 80 years old at the time of this USO tour. During December 1987, Bob Hope headed back overseas on yet another USO Holiday Tour. Hope lightened the mood in deadly serious situations, and he thrived on the crowds response. The memories Dinah Shore created for the service members who saw her perform on USO tours left lasting impressions. FOR SALE! Offered through Bob Hope USO. Fun fact: Jerry Colonna, Hopes longtime sideman since WWII, would often play Santa. She kept up her morale-boosting tours through the Korean War and had the troops in stitches during Vietnam and sometimes pulled rankthough her Marine Corps and Army ranks and membership in the Green Berets were all honorary. It was a collaboration that forever linked the names Bob Hope and the USO, giving both a new visibility, respect, and recognition. Long Beach, CA 90802, 201 World Way The USO relies on your support to help service members and their families. Though he wore many hats as an entertainer, starting out as a dancer, film actor, and radio comedian, Bob Hope is perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the USO . They had to do with such a variety of topicsasking when they were going to be coming home, and would he be able to set a date with Lana Turner or Rita Hayworth. Throughout the 1960s, Bob Hope traveled overseas many times to visit the troops. 10:00 AM PDT(1000T). From that first show, Hope would go on to entertain the troops for nearly 50 years, through World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanon Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War. Get to know the legendary Bob Hope and his 50 years of work with the USO entertaining troops through these rare 11 photos from the USO archives. According to the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation, it was this USO trip that inspired Hope to begin his tradition of entertaining the military community during the holiday season. Each week is. I can honestly say being able to attend the 1970 Bob Hope Christmas Show in Long Binh was the highlight of my Vietnam tour.. Whether he was balancing on a plank propped up between two trucks or dancing across a massive stage built just for him, and whether he was talking to a crowd of thousands or just a few men working a late shift, Hope brought the same level of energy to each and every performance. Its a scene that played out again and again for nearly 50 yearsfrom World War II, through Vietnam, to the Gulf War. By providing your mobile phone number, you opt in to receive calls and texts from USO. Hope was one of the first major stars to join the USO in entertaining the troops during World War II, but he soon became the organizations most iconic USO tour veteran. Bobby Crane uses his experience, knowledge and kind demeanor to make every soldier and military family member feel at home. A deadly April 14, 1988, car bombing outside a USO center in Naples, Italy, altered the definition of hazard duty and rattled perceptions of safety for American service members, military families and USO employees and volunteers. Dad heard that this platoon marched all this way and missed the show. Being stationed overseas can be difficult for every member of a military family, but especially for military children, who often have to constantly adapt to new environments and remain resilient through every new move. Undeterred by enemy fire or rough seas, Hope went straight to the front lines, delivering laughter . Its the best audience, Hope said in a 1991 Baltimore Sun article. Download our app to find events, locations and programs near you. Traveling with Hope were fellow entertainers Frances Langford, Jerry Colonna and Tony Romano. She scored a hit with the 1966 song, These Boots Are Made For Walkin. Photo credit Bob Hope Legacy LLC. The namesake of our organization, Bob Hope was a legendary American entertainer, actor, showman, comedian and philanthropist. Hope moved to Bristol before emigrating with his parents to the USA in 1908. Ended: Apr 15, 2023. Message & data rates may apply. During the show, the Village People performed for service members and others in the crowd. He worked with Raquel Welch, Ann-Margret, Connie Stevens, The Golddiggers, the US Navy offered Hope a commission at the rank of lieutenant commander, he was awarded honorary Oscars multiple times. Hopes holiday specials, a tradition started in 1950 on NBC, also became part of his commitment to the USO. Linda got a firsthand taste of USO tours when she began producing her fathers television specials, something she did for the last 20 years of his performances. Every day, Americas service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. Hopes last USO tour was in 1990, when he visited service members deployed to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield. Be the first to learn about news, service member stories and fundraising updates from USO. The letters were amazing, Linda said. This tradition began in 1941, when he performed a radio show at March Field in Riverside, California. During this and the many WWII USO Camp Show trips that followed, Hope hosted dozens of variety-style shows featuring some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Hopes last holiday special Hopes for the Holidays was in 1994, almost 50 years after his first. Your email address will not be published. | I think he tried to change with it, Linda said. Frances Langford, the singer. When these celebrities sacrifice their time to travel to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan or South Korea and meet one-on-one with our nations military, they are joining the ranks of countless others who saw the selflessness and impact of Hope and his career that was almost entirely dedicated to those who serve. But then her mother, Bob Hopes wife Dolores Hope, always put it in perspective for her. Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra appear as baseball players in a comedy sketch. However, his future undertakings with the USO were inspired by this trip and the warm welcome and gratitude from the servicemen and women in Berlin. Jayne Mansfield. In the spring of 1943, he traveled to Camp Polk, Louisiana, along with entertainers Frances Langford and Jerry Colonna, to perform for the troops. I think whatever he was involved with was the favorite tour.. The first was to North Africa and Italy, where she became the first entertainer to reach rescued soldiers at Anzio. Bob Hope entertaining the troops in 1944 (U.S. Army photo via WikiMedia Commons; public domain) One of the entertainers who would become inextricably linked with the USO was Bob Hope. In addition to his television specials, Hope appeared on the series Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre from 1963 to 1967. Diahann Carroll, who was the first African American woman to star in her own television series when Julia debuted in 1968, went on many USO tours over the years to entertain American troops. His commitment to the troops was evident not only in how many years he performed USO shows, but also in how determined he was to bring a smile to a soldiers face and how enthusiastic he was about performing for military audiences. But it was a rigorous schedule, the actress recalled, and Hope lead the charge. In the spring of 1990, at 86 years old, Bob Hope headed on a spring USO tour to Moscow, Germany and the U.K. It happened that way some of the time. Bob Hope, Raquel Welch, Elaine Dunn, Miss World Madeleine Bel and Barbara McNair head out on the December 1967 Bob Hope Holiday Tour. Bob Hope exits a garland-lined bunker in Beirut, Lebanon in December 1983. Thats why the foundation focuses its financial support on the things Hope cared about, rather than getting his name out. When you go down into all these landings, all the servicemen welcomed us so warmly. During these iconic USO Christmas shows in which Hope would leave his own loved ones behind to be with the troops, service members deployed to far-off and unfamiliar places were able to enjoy a few hours of fun away from the battlefield. . Hope set a precedent for all entertainers who followed in his path. There would be all the band members. ", Hope and the USOs Bob Hope Christmas Shows, USO's Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program Keeps Service Members and Their Kids Connected, For 40 Years, Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows Brightened the Holidays for Deployed Troops, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. As an actor, Rooney appeared in over 300 films, his career spanning from the late 1930s until he passed away in 2014. Look what they're doin' for me. Bob Hope entertains our troops at his annual USO tour of Southeast Asian military bases. There's a lump the size of Grant's Tomb in your throat when they come up to you and shake your hand and mumble 'Thanks.' Photo credit Bob Hope Legacy LLC. I got up and went to the cockpit and made a speech to the boys and then I sang, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It was very poignant to me. Photo: Wikimedia Commons Here, he and his troupe - including actress Ann-Margret, NFL great RoseyGrier, Gen. Emmett "Rosie" O'Donnell (as Santa Claus) and others - take photos at the start of the 1968 USO Holiday Tour. Although Hope hosted his last USO tour in 1990 and his final holiday special, Hopes for the Holidays, in 1994, the tradition he began of entertaining service members during the holidays still continues at the USO. Bob and Janis Paige appear as kitchen workers who pretend they are wealthy to impress the other. Here's a look at 10 of the greatest performers to grace the USO stage. Variety Girl (1947) (with Bing Crosby and Paramount Pictures all-star cast) as Bob Hope Where There's Life (1947) (with William Bendix) as Michael Joseph Valentine Road to Rio (1947) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Hot Lips Barton The Paleface (1948) (with Jane Russell) as 'Painless' Peter Potter Decades after the USOs creation, Hope is still legendary, thanks to the USO shows he started performing during World War II at a time when international phone calls home were impossible and Internet access wasnt even a concept. | Life goes on, she said. Last Christmas in Alaska, I met a GI who was so lonely he was going steady with his tattoo. In fact, during WWII, with only a few exceptions, all of Hope's shows were performed for a military crowd. The first Bob Hope USO Christmas Show for the troops was in December of 1948, during the Berlin Airlift. Crouch II joined government, nonprofit and corporate leaders at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle to open a dialogue about how best to help transitioning veterans reintegrate into the civilian workforce and their communities. Bob Hope knew what it meant to be away from home during the holidays. Here, while on a tour stop, Hope speaks with Hal Block, Barney Dean, Gen. George Patton, Frances Langford and Tony Romano in August 1943. On May 6, 1941, he performed his first USO Show at March Field in Riverside, California, to do a radio show for the airmen stationed there. The comedian was onboard the RMS Queen Mary when World World I broke out. Why did Hope do it? Boys and Girls of all ages arewelcome. The USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD). Many of the photos below havent been published in decades if at all so its unlikely youll find them anywhere else. He woke me up and said, Were over the water and theres a ship that has 2,700 men down below and theyre kind of asleep right now but the admiral would like you to say something to them.. "75 Years and Counting: On Patrol Takes a Look at the USO's Past, Present and Future ", he provided a crucial link to home for military families, Bob and Dolores Hope Charitable Foundation, her fathers memory and contributions will not be forgotten, sending direct messages of thanks and support through the USOs Campaign to Connect, USO Legend Bob Hope Brought a Bit of Home Everywhere he Went, For 40 Years, Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows Brightened the Holidays for Deployed Troops, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. In March 1965, she was the first recipient of the USO Woman of the Year Award, according to Brandeis University. His daughter, Linda, one of Bob and Dolores Hopes four children, said was simple. Christmas 1972. Download our app to find events, locations and programs near you. A platoon in the South Pacific had marched to get to this base where Dad was doing some shows. Bob Hope's USO shows were a staple for many decades, entertaining generations of military personnel in the United States Armed Forces. It was miserable there. In December 1950, reluctantly beginning to appear more regularly on television, Hope recorded his first-ever holiday variety TV special for a New York studio audience, just after returning from a fall USO tour to Korea, where he also recorded episodes of his show. A year later, in San Diego, Hope recorded a December episode of his show in front of service members returning home from Korea on the USS Boxer. Photo credit Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona, Hope hosted a special recording of the Pepsodent Show,, reluctantly beginning to appear more regularly on television, service members returning home from Korea on the USS Boxer, USO Bob Hope Christmas Show experiences, his 1970 holiday broadcast still stands as one of the most popular television episodes, final Bob Hope Christmas Show from Vietnam was recorded in 1972, stole the show with her performance of White Christmas, Veterans Share Their Memories of Bob Hope USO Christmas Shows, A New Look at Bob Hope: 11 Rare Photos from the USO Archives, USO Shows In Prose: Entertainment During World War II, Programs for Service Members and Their Families. In more than 70 short and feature films54 in which he starred he for! The veterans Site for free of their loved ones was stationed, Linda said tried to change it... To keep us safe and free Hopes name has become synonymous with the and... 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